Hello friends,
I’m still in-between projects. It’s uncomfortable, as I’m the kind of person who always likes to be doing something.
In last week’s email, I talked about letting your feelings guide your decision-making process when it comes to choosing your next creative passion project. Right now, I’m letting myself feel uncomfortable, and letting my next project start organically instead of jumping into something new before it feels right.
In the meantime, I’m trying to play more. You read that right. I’m trying to play! It’s weird to think that I have to actively try to do something that is so naturally human, but I’m out of practice.
So here’s a list of some things I did this week just for fun!
- I did a cartwheel for the first time in a very long time. It was hideous and I loved it. I think I’m going to try to make #badgymnastics a thing.
- I played this album loudly on my speakers and pretended that I was at a live concert.
- Said YES! to a spontaneous camping trip with friends.
- Baked banana bread.
In Julia Cameron’s The Artist’s Way, she talks about taking yourself on “Artist Dates”, once-weekly, festive, solo expedition to explore something that interests you. I think this is another rendition of prioritizing play, and you may find it works better for you.
Reflection Question
When was the last time you prioritized play? What are some activities you can do this week that are just for fun? Write a list!
Creative Resources
- How to add more play to your grown-up Life, even now
- How to remember who you are
Quote of the Week
So to a question like “Will you or will you not participate as asked?” Diogenes would have answered something else entirely: “I will participate, but not as asked,” or, “I will stay, but I will be your gadfly.” This answer (or non-answer) is something I think of as producing what I’ll call a “third space”—an almost magical exit to another frame of reference. For someone who cannot otherwise live with the terms of her society, the third space can provide an important if unexpected harbor.
— Jenny Odell, How to Do Nothing: Resisting the Attention Economy